Building Smarter, Faster, and Greener: The A14 Infrastructure Upgrade

When it comes to infrastructure, few projects have more impact than major roadway upgrades. The A14 is one of the UK’s busiest roads—connecting the Midlands to the East of England and carrying over 85,000 vehicles daily, including 25% heavy goods traffic. Congestion was a daily occurrence, and the need for a modern, resilient solution was urgent. In this episode of Beneath the Build, you'll see where Tensar stepped in.

The Challenge: Upgrade Under Pressure
The £1.5 billion A14 improvement scheme had ambitious goals: increase road capacity, reduce congestion, and improve safety and do it fast. But there were major constraints. Shutting down the road wasn’t an option. The construction team had to work near live traffic, on tight schedules and across variable and difficult ground conditions.

The A14 Integrated Delivery Team needed innovative geotechnical solutions that were:

• Quick to install
• Safe for live traffic environments
• Adaptable to ground variability
• Cost-effective and environmentally responsible

The Solution: A Proven System of Innovation
Tensar provided a suite of engineered systems to meet these needs across multiple work zones:

Modular Retaining Walls 

Over 11,000 square meters of block-faced walls were used to build bridge wing walls, some up to 10 meters high. These systems used dry-laid blocks connected to Tensar geogrid, allowing rapid construction without cranes or complex formwork—ideal for constrained areas.

Bridge Abutments for Temporary Access

To support 50-ton construction trucks and material deliveries, temporary abutments replaced traditional bridge foundations. These abutments are a type of mechanically stabilized earth system that uses layers of geogrid reinforcement and steel mesh face panels to create a cost-effective, durable, and quickly constructed alternative to traditional concrete retaining walls and bridge abutments. The benefits? No piling. No formwork. Less labor. Faster build times. 

Vegetated Reinforced Embankments

Where space was tight and environmental concerns high, Tensar provided a solution. This steep-faced, vegetated slope system was constructed using steel mesh, geogrid reinforcement, and even processed sand by-product from the on-site concrete plant. This eliminated the need to import costly fill material and reduced carbon-heavy truck movements.

The Results: Delivering Beyond Expectations
Tensar’s geotechnical systems didn’t just solve problems, they delivered measurable outcomes that moved the entire project forward:

• 1 million fewer truck movements thanks to local fill usage
• Substantial cost savings by eliminating piling and reducing imports
• No lane closures required, even near live traffic
• Design performance that accommodates 100mm of settlement without structural compromise
• Completed 8 months ahead of schedule—a rare feat on a job of this scale

Smarter Infrastructure Starts Below the Surface
This A14 success story is a testament to what happens when engineering innovation meets real-world constraints. By delivering adaptable, reliable, and sustainable solutions, Tensar helped one of the UK’s most critical infrastructure projects move faster, safer, and greener.

 

Connect with us now to learn how our solutions can benefit your next infrastructure project.